JP2002042077A - Ic tag - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an IC tag capable of smoothly transmitting and receiving information to and from an IC tag reader/writer. SOLUTION: The IC tag 1 includes an antenna 3, a transmitting and receiving circuit 17 connected to the antenna 3, a control circuit 19 connected to the transmitting and receiving circuit 17, and a memory device 20 connected to the control circuit 19. The IC tag 1 is capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the IC tag reader/writer 6. The IC tag 1 has an attaching piece la for attachment to the end of an envelope (or package) 5 so that the antenna 3 does not overlie the envelope (or package) 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention can record various information by radio waves from a reader / writer for an IC tag, and transmits information recorded in response to a read command from the reader / writer for an IC tag. Related to an IC tag to be transmitted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a luggage collection place or the like, an IC for identifying an envelope or a package at the time of collecting and delivering an envelope or a package such as a box is used.
A tag is used in a state where the IC tag is directly attached to a suitable place on the outer surface of an envelope or a package (identification target). The envelope usually stores documents such as letters, metal articles such as coins, and other articles. In addition, a book, a metal article, and other articles are stored in the package in addition to various documents. The IC tag is a means for recording various identification information such as the name or name of the sender such as an envelope or a package, the destination, the name or name of the sender, or the name or name of the destination. The information is written and recorded by radio waves, and the recorded information is transmitted by radio waves in response to a read command from an IC tag reader / writer. The IC tag has an antenna, a transmission / reception circuit, a control circuit, a memory device, and a power generation circuit (not shown). The antenna of the IC tag generates an electromotive force (AC power) by electromagnetic induction when receiving a power supply signal (AC magnetic field) transmitted from the IC tag reader / writer.
Generate The power generation circuit of the IC tag converts the electromotive force (AC power) from the antenna into DC power and supplies the DC power to the transmission / reception circuit, the control circuit, and the memory device. The IC tag reader / writer transmits the write information by radio waves.
When transmitting to the C tag, the antenna of the IC tag receives the write information, and the transmitting / receiving circuit and the control circuit write and record the received write information in the memory device. Also, when the IC tag reader / writer transmits an information read command to the IC tag by radio waves, the transmission / reception circuit and the control circuit of the IC tag transmit the information recorded (stored) in the memory device to the IC tag by radio waves via the antenna. To the PC reader / writer. The IC tag reader / writer reads information transmitted from the IC tag. In this way, the IC tag reader / writer exchanges information with the IC tag.

[0003]

However, in the conventional IC tag, since the IC tag main body is directly mounted on the outer surface of an envelope or a package or the like and used, it is used.
When a metal article such as a coin is stored in an envelope or a package, the antenna of the IC tag and the metal article are in close proximity. For this reason, there is a problem that the antenna characteristics change due to the influence of the metal article, and the transmission and reception of information between the IC tag and the IC tag reader / writer becomes poor. An object of the present invention is to prevent at least interference between an antenna forming an IC tag and a metal article even when a metal article stored in an envelope, a package, or the like is located near an IC tag. It is another object of the present invention to provide an IC tag capable of satisfactorily exchanging information with an IC tag reader / writer.

[0004]

According to one aspect of the present invention, at least an antenna, a transmission / reception circuit connected to the antenna, a control circuit connected to the transmission / reception circuit, And a sheet-like support piece having a memory device connected to the control circuit.
An IC tag capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from a tag reader / writer, the IC tag being attached to an identification object, wherein an attachment piece protrudes from one end edge of the sheet-shaped support piece to form an IC tag. A sheet-like support piece is attached to the end edge of the support member via the attachment piece. The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that a cutting line for separating the attachment piece is formed along one edge of the sheet-shaped support piece.

[0005]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an IC tag and a reader / writer for the IC tag according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a rear view of an envelope provided with the IC tag of FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the IC tag 1 includes a thin plate-like support piece (sheet-like support piece) 2, a loop antenna 3, and a sheet-like IC (integrated circuit) connected to the loop antenna 3. ) 4. The loop antenna 3 and the IC 4 are adhered on the surface of the support piece 2 with an adhesive or the like. The support piece 2 is formed of paper, synthetic resin, or the like. At one end of the support piece 2 of the IC tag 1, there is provided a tongue-shaped attachment piece 1a attached to an end of the envelope 5 so that the loop antenna 3 does not overlap the main body of the envelope (or the package). That is, the IC tag 1 includes a support having at least the loop antenna 3, a transmitting / receiving circuit connected to the antenna 3, a control circuit connected to the transmitting / receiving circuit, and a memory device connected to the control circuit. It is an IC tag that has a piece 2 and can exchange information with an IC tag reader / writer. This IC
The tag 1 is attached to an identification target such as an envelope or a package 5. A characteristic configuration of this IC tag 1 is that a mounting piece 1a is formed protruding from one end edge of a support piece 2 and a sheet-like support piece 2 is formed on the edge of an envelope or the like 5 as an identification object through the mounting piece 1a.
It is in the configuration that allows to attach. That is, conventionally, since the support piece 2 itself on which the antenna 3 and the like are formed is directly superimposed on the outer surface of the envelope 5 or the like, the metal article located inside the envelope or the like interferes with the antenna. In the present invention, the support piece 2 itself, particularly the antenna 3, is adhered to the edge of the envelope 5 using only the protruding attachment piece 1 a protruding from one end edge of the support piece 2 (adhesion with an adhesive or the like). Is in a state sufficiently separated from the envelope body. At the boundary between the edge of the support plate 2 and the mounting piece 1a, a cutting line 1b for separating the mounting piece 1a is formed along one edge of the supporting piece. The cutting line 1b may be a polygonal line or a perforation. The mounting piece 1a may be formed integrally with the support piece 2 in advance, or may be formed separately from the support piece 2 and adhered to an end of the support piece 2 with an adhesive. I
The C tag reader / writer 6 writes and records information in its memory device by transmitting radio waves to the antenna 3 of the IC tag 1 and reads the information recorded in the IC tag 1. For example, when identifying an envelope or the like using the IC tag 1 at the pickup and delivery station, the envelope conveyed on the belt conveyor is read and written by the reader / writer 6 arranged at a fixed position on the belt conveyor. However, since the antenna 3 of the IC tag protrudes out of the envelope from one end edge of all the envelopes, even if the content in the envelope body is a metal article, the antenna 3 does not receive interference.
A read ride operation can be performed. In addition, FIG.
In the case where the object to be identified is a package other than an envelope, for example, a box, a state where the IC tag 1 of the present invention is attached to the edge of the package 5 is shown. As described above, by attaching the mounting piece 1a to the inside of the edge of the package so that the support piece 2 of the IC tag 1 projects sufficiently from the edge of the package 5, interference from a metal article inside the package is achieved. It is possible to perform read / write without receiving.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the IC tag reader / writer 6 of FIG. As shown in FIG.
The tag reader / writer 6 includes a loop antenna 7, a control device 8, a power amplifier 9, a modulator 10, and a demodulator 1
1, the memory device 12, the input device 13, and the display device 1.
4 and a transmission / reception device 15. Power amplifier 9
Are connected to the loop antenna 7. Detection demodulator 1
1 is connected to the loop antenna 7. Modulator 10
Is connected between the control device 8 and the power amplifier 9. The control device 8 includes a power amplifier 9 and a detection demodulator 11
, Memory device 12, input device 13, display device 14
And the transmission / reception device 15. Transceiver 1
5 is connected to an external computer 16. The control device 8 supplies the power amplifier 9 with a power supply signal, which is an AC signal, and a write command and a read command. The power amplifier 9 amplifies the power supply signal, the write command, and the read command from the control device 8 to generate the amplified power supply signal, the amplified write command, and the amplified read command, and supplies the generated signal to the loop antenna 7. The loop antenna 7 generates a transmission power supply signal, a transmission write command, and a transmission read command when receiving the amplified power supply signal, the amplified write command, and the amplified read command from the power amplifier 9, and generates an IC by radio waves. Send to tag 1. Further, the control device 8 reads information recorded (stored) in the memory device 12 and supplies the information to the modulator 10 as write information. Further, the control device 8 exchanges information with the external computer 16 via the transmission / reception device 15. The control device 8 supplies the information to the modulator 10 when receiving the information from the external computer 16, or the memory device 1
Store it in 2. The modulator 10 modulates the write information from the control device 8 to generate modulated write information and provides the modulated write information to the power amplifier 9. The power amplifier 9 amplifies the modulated write information from the modulator 10 to generate amplified write information and supplies the amplified write information to the loop antenna 7. Loop antenna 7
Receives the amplified write information from the power amplifier 9,
The radio wave is transmitted to the IC tag 1. The input device 13 is for inputting an operation command. The display device 14
The information from the control device 8 is displayed.

[0007] When receiving the transmission read information from the IC tag 1, the loop antenna 7 generates the reception read information and supplies it to the detection demodulator 11. The detection demodulator 11 detects read information from the reception read information from the loop antenna 7 and supplies the read information to the control device 8. Upon receiving the read information from the demodulator 11, the control device 8 stores (records) the read information in the memory device 12 as the information.
Then, the information is displayed on the display device 14 as necessary, and the information is given to the computer 16 via the transmission / reception device 15. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the IC tag 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the IC 4 includes a transmission / reception circuit 17, a detector 18, a control circuit 19, a memory device 20, a power generation circuit 21, and a modulator 22. The transmission / reception circuit 17 is connected to the loop antenna 3. The detector 18 is connected between the transmission / reception circuit 17 and the control circuit 19. The power generation circuit 21 includes a loop antenna 3, a transmission / reception circuit 17, a detector 18,
The control circuit 19 is connected to the memory device 20 and the modulator 22. The modulator 22 is connected between the transmission / reception circuit 17 and the control circuit 19. The control circuit 19 is connected to the transmission / reception circuit 17 and the memory device 20. When receiving the transmission power supply signal (AC magnetic field) from the loop antenna 7 of the IC tag reader / writer 6, the loop antenna 3 generates a reception power supply signal (AC power) which is an AC signal by electromagnetic induction. The power generation circuit 21 receives the received power supply signal from the loop antenna 3, generates DC power, and supplies the DC power to the transmission / reception circuit 17, the detector 18, the control circuit 19, the memory device 20, and the modulator 22. . Note that the IC tag 1 may be configured to include a power supply circuit instead of the power generation circuit 21. Further, the IC tag 1 may be configured to have a coil antenna or the like instead of the loop antenna 3.

The loop antenna 3 generates a reception write command, a reception read command, and reception write information when receiving a transmission write command, a transmission read command, and transmission write information from the loop antenna 7 of the IC tag reader / writer 6. This is given to the transmission / reception circuit 17. The transmission / reception circuit 17 supplies the reception writing information to the detector 18 when receiving the reception writing information from the loop antenna 3. The detector 18 includes a transmission / reception circuit 17
When receiving the received write information from the CPU, the write information is generated and given to the control circuit 19. The transmission / reception circuit 17
Upon receiving the reception write command and the reception read command from the loop antenna 3, a write command and a read command are generated and provided to the control circuit 19. When receiving the write command from the transmission / reception circuit 17, the control circuit 19 records (stores) the write information from the detector 18 as information in the memory device 20. The control circuit 19 reads the information recorded (stored) in the memory device 20 when receiving the read command from the transmission / reception circuit 17 and supplies the information to the modulator 22 as read information. The modulator 22 modulates the read information from the control circuit 19 to generate modulated read information and provides the modulated read information to the transmission / reception circuit 17. When receiving the modulation read information from the modulator 22, the transmission / reception circuit 17 supplies the modulation read information to the loop antenna 3. The loop antenna 3 generates the transmission read information when receiving the modulation read information from the transmission / reception circuit, and transmits the generated read information to the reader / writer 6 for the IC tag by radio waves. In this case, as described above, in the IC tag reader / writer 6, when the loop antenna 7 receives the transmission read information from the IC tag 1 and generates the reception read information, the detection / demodulation of the demodulator 11
Detects the read information from the received read information and supplies it to the control device 8. Upon receiving the read information, the control device 8 stores (records) the read information in the memory device 12 as the information. In the embodiment of the present invention, the IC tag 1 has an envelope (or package) 5 so that the loop antenna 3 does not overlap the envelope (or package) 5.
, The metal piece such as a coin is stored in the envelope (or the package) 5 near the loop antenna 3 of the IC tag 1 even when the metal article such as a coin is stored in the envelope (or the package) 5. Is not located, information can be transmitted and received between the IC tag 1 and the IC tag reader / writer 6 satisfactorily. Further, since the cutting line 1b is formed between the support piece 2 and the mounting piece 1a so that the two can be easily separated, when the IC tag 1 is separated from the envelope (or the package) 5 and collected. Envelope (or package) IC tag 1
5 can be easily separated by hand. The cutting line 1b may not be formed on the attachment piece 1a.

[0009]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the IC tag including the antenna portion is not attached to the outer surface of the identification object such as the envelope or the package, instead of being overlapped. Since the IC tab is attached to the object to be identified through a tongue-shaped mounting piece protruding from a support piece provided with an antenna or the like, even when a metal article such as a coin is contained in the object to be identified, the IC tag is attached. Since the metal article is not located near the antenna, information can be transmitted and received between the IC tag and the reader / writer for the IC tag satisfactorily. According to the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, a cutting line is formed on the mounting piece so that the mounting piece can be easily separated into two. When the IC tag is separated from the envelope or the package and collected, the IC tag can be easily separated from the envelope or the package by hand.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an IC tag and an IC tag reader / writer according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the IC tag of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an IC tag according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a reader / writer for an IC tag in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the IC tag of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

1 IC tag, 2 support piece, 3 loop antenna, 4
IC, 5 envelope (identification target), 6 IC tag reader / writer, 7 loop antenna, 8 controller, 9 power amplifier, 10 modulator, 11 detector / demodulator, 12 memory device, 13 input device, 14 display device, 15 transmitting / receiving device, 16 computer, 17 transmitting / receiving circuit, 18
Detector, 19 control circuit, 20 memory device, 21 power generation circuit

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A sheet-like supporting piece comprising at least an antenna, a transmitting / receiving circuit connected to the antenna, a control circuit connected to the transmitting / receiving circuit, and a memory device connected to the control circuit. An IC tag capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from an IC tag reader / writer, the IC tag being attached to an object to be identified, wherein an attachment piece is formed so as to protrude from one edge of the sheet-like support piece, An IC tag, wherein a sheet-like support piece is attached to an edge of an identification object via the attachment piece. 2. Along one edge of the sheet-like support piece,
2. The IC tag according to claim 1, wherein a cutting line for separating the attachment piece is formed.